Texas Sen. Ted Cruz defended Donald Trump in an interview on Friday, praising the businessman for boldness in addressing illegal immigration despite protests by the “Washington cartel.”
“I like Donald Trump. He’s bold, he’s brash, and I get that it seems the favorite sport of the Washington media is to encourage some Republicans to attack other Republicans,” Mr. Cruz told NBC’s Chuck Todd in an interview on Meet The Press. “I ain’t going to do it. I’m not interested in Republican on Republican violence,” he said, Mediaite reported.
Mr. Trump has been the subject of harsh criticism, including from GOP candidates Marco Rubio and George Pataki, for comments he made in his campaign launch speech calling Mexican illegal immigrants rapists and criminals.
When Mr. Todd asked Mr. Cruz if “rhetoric matters,” Mr. Cruz responded, “I salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration. The Washington cartel doesn’t want to address that,” Mediaite reported.
Mr. Cruz admitted that Mr. Trump has a “colorful” way of speaking and said that was not the way he would speak, but added that he would not engage in the media’s “game of throwing rocks and attacking other Republicans.”
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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